Stuffing box



H. E. ADAMS STUFFING B0X Sept. 11, 1934.

Filed Jan. 2S, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept EL 934., H. E` ADAMS 1,973,323

STUFEING B0X I Filed Jan. 2S, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. E. ADAMS STUFFING Box Sept l, 1934.

Filed Jan. 2S, 1932 3 Sheets-Shea?l 3 iwf um @LMI w55 0 L w M Patented Sept. 1l, 1934 UNlTED STATES STUFFING BOX Harold E. Adams, South Norwalk; Conn., assigner to Nash Engineering Company, South Norwalk, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application January 26, 1932, Serial No. 589,023

4 Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved stuffing box or shaft packing, which will provide a tight seal around a shaft or rod.V

'I'he device is also arranged so that it will be self lubricating.

The device consists in its main features of one or more expansible ring packings around said shaft, expanded by grease maintained under pressure. The device will be best understood by a description of the details.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying three sheets of drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional elevation of the parts making up the structure.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the 4parts in a different position.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the spacer ring hereinafter referred to.

Fig. 3a is a cross section thereof.

Fig. 4 is an end .elevation of one of the ring packings.

Fig. 4% is a cross section thereof.

Fig. 5` is an elevation partly/in section illustrating the application of the invention to a motor driven centrifugal pump.

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the application of the invention to a motor driven air and water pump employed in vacuum steam heating.

Fig. 7 is an elevation partly in section illustrating a form of nipple through which the grease can be supplied under pressure.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of a. modified form.

f Fig. 9 is a sectional view illustrating how grease under pressure can be supplied by a grease cup.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views similar to Figs. 1 and- 2 illustrating a modication.

Figs. 12 and 13 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating a still further modication.

Fig. 14 is an end view, and Fig.` 11ia is a sectional view of the spacer ring f which is used in the constructionshown in Figs.

12 and 13. V

Referring to the rst sheet of drawings, 1 designates a preferably, but not always, placed on the shaft. 3 designates a hub which forms the ybody of the stuffing box, whichl hub can be formed with or attached to the body of the machine to which Vthe improvement is applied. This hub has a bore 4 of an internal diameter considerably larger than the diameter of shaft 2 to leave an annular chamber between the shaft and hub. An end plate 5 having a centering hub 5 is secured on 55 theend of the hub 3 by cap screws 14. A folshaft or rod. A bronze bushing 2 isv lower gland or bushing 6 is placed on the shaft 1. This gland has a head 6 which fits tightly in the bore 4, while the gland itself is fitted with a little clearance on the shaft. The gland 6 also fits tightly in plate 5. The purpose of this arrangement is to center the gland 6 accurately and to provide for clearance between the gland and the shaft so that friction will be eliminated.-

The follower gland 6 is pressed' to the right, as illustrated in the figures, by a heavy spring 7 ar- 65 ranged between plate 5 and head 6a. Ring packings 9 and 10 are arranged at the right of the follower gland. These rings are made out of suitable material, and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 are V-shaped in cross section so that they 70 will expand by pressure applied laterally in the Vs. A spacer ring 8 is placed on the shaft between the packing rings 9 and 10.`A A hole 11 is drilled in the hub 3 and the same is connected by a passage 12 to the space between the ring 75 packings 9 and 10. The hole 11 is screw-threaded and secured in the same is a pressure nipple N, Fig. 7, or N', Fig. 8, having a spring pressed ball check valve 16, through which grease may be forced under pressure into hub 3. A grease cup C may be used instead of a nipple, as shown in Fig. 9.A l

-The relation of the above parts at the time of assembly is shown in Fig. 2. When the structure is used on a water pump, as illustrated in Fig. 5, a waterproof grease is injected through passage l2 into the pressure chamber 15 between the two ring packings 9 and 10. This grease is forced in under pressure sufficient to force the gland 6 outwardly to its fullest extent against 90 the pressure of th spring '7. This will charge or load the stufting box. The spring '7 is made of a size to exert a pressure on the gland head 6 materially higher thanany pressure which may exist in the pump itself, or in case the improvement is used in connection with a vacuum pump to exceed materially 4.the total barometric pressure.

Because of the pressure constantly maintained in chamber 15 by the action of the spring '1, the l0( pressure always tends to maintain the legs of the ring packings 9 and 10 firmly seated against the bore 4 of the stuing box 3 and against the shaft l. This effect may be obtained with one ring packing but it`is usually better to employ two lol \as illustrated. The grease in the pressure chamber under constant pressure operating in this way forms a very effective seal. The seal is tight not only against inward or outward leakage, but l the lseal is obtained with a minimum of friction 11 l ontheI shaft with consequent increased efiicieney,

v due to .decreased power loss vinthe stumng ibox.:

fp-wf `rrvvspacer ring is madev inthe' 'form of la, cylinderl having a nut onits :outer surface .and vthe ends'rv of the lring are rounded yto .engage these` par-- Theglandl 6y alsovr acts asan yindicator to show l v the amount of vgrease in the' chamber 15. l vVil'hen the end of the gland is'flush'with plate r5, it isv an indicationvfthat it is necessary to rell thechamber throughr the high pressure grease connection.; The amount that gland 6y protrudes Ibeyond thekr face of plate y5 gives an indication of the amount f of grease in chamber atl any time.A l f f The constant followup pressurev exerted by the spring?y and gland 6 within thechamber 'lis always suicientl to maintain the tight sealfber y tween the sealingfringsandthe shaft 4,underzall conditions. I v- The ring packings 9 and y10 are-prevented from4 ycoming together by'a spacer ring 8. If .greasel kshouldescape from the chamberl the ring packings will still beheld inl rengagingy contact with the. shaftv by the :wedging actionr of the sides of f lthe spacer-ring 8 and-the pressure-exerted by the v y' spring 7.A rlhis condition; Whilel notas .eiective f asfthe normaly operation ofthe stufng' box, will help keepthe sealtight in the case'of -inattentionv Itwilll also belnoticedthat incase the pump isy shut down. the tight seal will be maintained. In Figs. 10 andll the'ringr packings v9fan'di10I :aremade semi-circular in crosssection and the ticular shaped packings. n

in Figs.: 1*-2 and 1a the-righthand ring packing;

is made rright angled rinshape, the upper part thereofy engaging the end vof the bore 4. l l i f l s The parts 4can be made in vmamy.other forms' and shapes Ato accomplish rthe purpose stated. 'Ihe improved stufng vbox also lwill `Workad-y mirablyrto. seal a yrcciprfmating shaft. 1

The details and. arrangements herein shown? and, described may bei greatly `Varied byiaf skilled mechanic'withoutv departing'from vthe scope of my invention as expressed in the claims. .Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patl. 1. A stuing box comprising a hub surrounding ay shaft: and spacedy therefrom to-leave 'an annular chamber betweenv the shaft and hub, two l l i l expansible ring packings inv said chamber.y a vfolilower engagingy one rof said packings. a spring f for constantly forcing` saidA follower ltowards said -packingsi connections whereby grle'zatser can vbe forcedfinto the chamber between said packings andv the vfollower gland moved against the pres;- sure `of said -spring',fand spacingv vIneens vin said y chamber, disposed between said rings, said spacl ving. means beingshaped to'expand said expansible rings.

y2. Astuihngboxcomprising a hub surrounding a shaft and spaced therefromito leave an an f nular chamber vbetween vthe krshaft f and hub, 'a' pair of expan'sible ring packings in said chamber,r a followergland'loosely ttedon .the shaft and. having.v a headv tightly .fitting the hub, a spring for constantly pushing said gland against one'of saidv Apaclrings.- means whereby, rgrease can be forced under pressure; into said chamber between said ring packingsand spacing meanssin saidv Y between said paclsingsv shaped to vexpand same.

a spring pressed follower-gland: engaging one' of chamber, disposed; between rsaid rings and di; y rectly vengageablie therewith, vsaid spacing means lbeing shaped to .expand said :expansible rings. y 1 l3. IA stuiiingfbox comprisingahub surroundinga'shaft :and spaced therefrom to leave ianan-l nularl chamber between the vshaft-and hub,'two -ringmackingsin said chamber, a spacer ring said'packings and. connections whereby grease canv vbeforcedzinto and kept under pressure inA said chamber.

anend plate attached .to vsaid hub,v :sadfollower vrhaving anr extension projecting 'through'. said plate, and connections whereby grease can be forced into lsaid chamber, said extension'of the follower gland beyond vthe plate being effective to indicate the amount of grease in the chamber.

HAROLD E. ADAMS. 

